Car-coupling



(No Model.)

v H. s. & 1. COVERT.

GAR COUPLING. I No. 369,232. Patented Aug. 30; 1887.

IXH tl LQO'OQ'A gmvewtoz s I Itkama overt,

nnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnn nn ml) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HARVEY S.-OOVERT AND ITHAMAR COVERT, OF LOUDONVILLE, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 369,232, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed June 10, 1887. Serial No. 240.882. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARVEY S. COVERT and ITHAMAR COVERT, citizens of the United States, residing at Loudonville, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompa' nying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relatesto automatic car-couplings more particularly adapted for freightcars. The coupling devices consist of a link and pin, each of a peculiar construction ,which are or may be used with any ordinary draw-bar, so that the coupling devices may be applied to the draw-heads now in use and couple with the ordinary link-and-pin couplings. The pin is an elongated pin, extending at all times above the draw-head and through an elongated slot or eye in an overhanging bracket, a flange on the pin preventing it from being withdrawn entirely from the upper aperture in the drawhead, through which it'passes. To hold the pin in position ready for coupling its lower end rests, when it is elevated, upon a ledge projecting a slight distance across the upper aperture in the draw-head. When the adjacent car carrying the link buffs against the car having the pin thus held elevated, thejar incident to the buffing of the cars displaces the pin from theledge, and permits it of its own gravity to drop through the slot in the link, and so couple the cars. The cars are uncoupled from either side of the car by operating-cords or light chains, which pass through eyes in the pinguide bracket and are attached to the flange on the pin. When either chain is pulled, the pin is lifted, and when it is lifted higher than the ledge its lower end is pulled outward over the ledge, so that on releasing the chain the pin rests on the ledge. Thelink used differs from the ordinary link in having two substantially-circular apertures instead of a single elongated slot, and in being of an approximately-elliptical form--that is, being wide across its center and somewhat pointed at each end. One aperture is entered by the pin on the car which carries the link, and the other is brought beneath the elevated pin on the adjacent car to be entered by the same when displaced from its ledge. There are numerous advantages connected with this form of link. Having two small apertures instead ofa single elongated slot, the link does not have'much play on the coupled pin, so that on encountering a rusty or uneven draw-head thelink will nevertheless be forced in the drawhead, instead of being forced back into the draw-head in which it is held, so that the coupling is at all times assured. The pointed ends are of great assistance in causing the link to enter the draw-head, co-operating with the flared mouth'of the draw-head to guide the link properly into place. At the same time the broadened central portion of the link, besides'adding to its strength, prevents the link being turned so far out of the line of draft either horizontally or vertically as not to enter the opposite draw-head.

The improved coupling is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a draw-bar provided with the improvements. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the end of the car, and Fig. 3 a front view of the same.

A is the draw-bar, being a spring-bar, as is usual, and having a hollow draw-head, B,with a flared mouth. The drawhead is formed, as usual,with upper and lower apertures, 11 a, and extending partly across the upper aperture is the pin-holding ledge b.

Bolted or otherwise secured to the upper part of the draw-head is a bracket, O, having a shelf, D, overhanging the apertures a a. This shelf has an elongated slot, 0, through which passes the coupling-pin E. This pin is so long that when in its lowermost position its upper end is still held within the slot 0. The pin is formed with a flange, d, at or near its center, the flange being located between the shelf and draw-head, so that the pin can be disengaged from neither. This pin moves up and down through the apertures a a in the draw-head and the slot in the guide-bracket to couple and uncouple the cars.

On either side of the draw-bar the car is provided with bumpers F F, and passing through eyes 0 e in the same and at the sides of the car are the operating cords or chains Gr G. These chains also pass through eyes f f in the forward end of the shelf D in front of the slot 0, and are attached to the flange d of the pin. By pulling on one of these chains the pin is elevated, and, owing to the arrange ment of the eyes f f, when the lower end of the pin has been raised above the ledge b the upper end of the pin is moved back in the slot 0, so that the lower end is swung forward over the ledge.

H is the link,of the shape already described, having two apertures, g g. This coupling is exceedingly efficient, costmg but little more than the ordinary link and pin, and can be applied quickly and readily to the draw-heads now in use.

We claim as our invention- 1. The draw-head having apertures in its top and bottom, and having a pin-holding ledge extending partly across the upper aperin presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY S. COVERT. ITHAMAR COVERT. \Vitnesses:

SADIE E. BIRD, NORA BIRD.

u.iiiumllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllw 

